Liturgy: Sunday of the Prodigal Son / New Martyrs of Russia

Sunday of the Prodigal Son / The Holy New Martyrs & Confessors of Russia

Beatitudes Verses: 4 from the Octoechos, 4 from Ode 3 Triodion; 4 New Martyrs

1. We offer Thee the cry of the thief, and we pray: Remember us in Thy kingdom, O

Savior.

2. For the forgiveness of transgressions we offer unto Thee the Cross which Thou didst

accept for our sake, O Thou who lovest mankind.

3. We bow down in worship, O Master, before Thy burial and rising, whereby Thou hast

delivered the world from corruption, O Thou Who lovest mankind.

4. By Thy death hath death been slain, O Lord, and by Thy resurrection hast Thou saved

the world, O Savior.

5 &6. Utterly beside myself, I have clung in madness to the sins suggested to me by the

passions. But accept me, O Christ, as the Prodigal.

7. With the words of the Prodigal I cry aloud: I have sinned, O Father; like him, receive

me now in Thine embrace and reject me not.

8. Open Thine arms, O Christ, and in loving-kindness receive me as I return from a far

country of sin and passions.

9.  Remember, O Lord, the dreadful torments which the new passion-bearers suffered for

Thee, who have now sprouted forth from our race; and accept their entreaties for our

salvation.

10.  O righteous Judge, Thou hast opened the kingdom of heaven unto the confessors of

the Church of Russia.  Hearken, O Lord, unto their righteousness, and give ear unto their

supplication for the salvation of our souls.

11.  O most divine Trinity, return us from our captivity!  We know that sin hath increased

in our land more than ever before; yet grace also hath shone forth in the struggle of the

new saints, who also entreat Thee, O thrice-holy God, for the salvation of our souls.

12.  Gather the dispersed; raise up the faint-hearted; call them that have renounced the

holy Faith and convert them, O gracious and all-pure Virgin Mary, entreating Christ the

Savior, with the holy new martyrs and confessors, for the forgiveness and salvation of our

souls.

Troparia & Kontakia

Tone 2:  When Thou didst descend unto death, O Life Immortal, /

then didst Thou slay Hades with the lightning of Thy Divinity. /

And when Thou didst also raise the dead out of the nethermost depths, /

all the Hosts of the heavens cried out: //

O Life-giver, Christ our God, glory be to Thee.

Tone 4: O ye holy hierarchs, royal passion-bearers and pastors, /

monks and laymen, men, women and children, /

ye countless new-martyrs, confessors, /

blossoms of the spiritual meadow of Russia, /

who blossomed forth wondrously in time of grievous persecutions /

bearing good fruit for Christ in your endurance: /

Entreat Him, as the One that planted you, /

that He deliver His people from godless and evil men, /

and that the Church of Russia /

be made steadfast through your blood and suffering, //

unto the salvation of our souls.

Glory… Tone 2:  O ye new passion-bearers of Russia, /

who have with your confession finished the course of this earth, /

receiving boldness through your sufferings: /

Beseech Christ Who strengthened you, /

that we also, whenever the hour of trial find us /

may receive the gift of courage from God.  /

For ye are a witness to us who venerate your struggle, /

that neither tribulation, prison, nor death //

can separate us from the love of God.

Both now... Tone 3: Having foolishly abandoned Thy paternal glory, /

I squandered on vices the wealth which Thou gavest me. /

Wherefore, I cry unto Thee with the voice of the Prodigal: /

I have sinned before Thee, O compassionate Father. /

Receive me as one repentant, //

and make me as one of Thy hired servants.

The Epistle

Reader: The Prokimenon in the 2nd Tone: The Lord is my strength and my song, and

He is become my salvation.

Choir: The Lord is my strength and my song, and He is become my salvation.

Reader: With chastisement hath the Lord chastened me, but He hath not given me over

unto death.

Choir: The Lord is my strength and my song, and He is become my salvation.

Reader: The Prokimenon in the 7th Tone: For Thy sake, O Lord, we are slain all the

day long.

Choir: For Thy sake, O Lord, we are slain all the day long.

Reader: The Reading is from the First Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the

Corinthians: [I Cor. 6:12-20 (§135); Rom. 8:28-39 (§99)]

Reader: Alleluia in the 2nd Tone: The Lord hear thee in the day of affliction; the name

of the God of Jacob defend thee.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Reader: O Lord, save the king, and hearken unto us in the day when we call upon Thee.

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Reader: In the 4th tone: The righteous cried, and the Lord heard them, and He delivered

them out of all their tribulations

Choir: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Gospel [Luke 15:11-32 (§79); Luke 21:12-19 (§106)]

Communion Verse: Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the highest!

Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous; praise is meet for the upright. Alleluia, Alleluia,

Alleluia!